Earlier today, Cincinnati Reds great Barry Larkin was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Considering observers have long complained about the writers voting in mediocre candidates, the selection of only one might, under other circumstances, be treated with a sigh of relief, but unfortunately, this year’s vote is more awkward than anything else. That’s because three players with very good Hall of Fame resumes were once again denied entry. Rafael Palmeiro had more than three thousand career hits and five hundred career home runs. Mark McGwire was, at the time, credited with saving baseball thanks to his epic seventy home run season, and Jeff Bagwell is one of the better first baseman of all-time. All three were told to wait another year thanks to Palmeiro once testing positive for steroids, McGwire admitting he used steroids and Bagwell being a muscular guy who played in the steroid era.
In the grand scheme of things, the Hall Of Fame could get away with not electing any of the above players. They’re all probably worthy, but since none dominated their eras, apart from McGwire briefly, their absences probably wouldn’t confuse the historians of tomorrow too greatly. Unfortunately, next year a whole new crop of players with direct ties to steroids will debut on the ballot. Under normal circumstances, both Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds would be inducted in their first years. Clemens won seven Cy Young Awards as baseball’s best pitcher. Bonds won seven MVP Awards. These players were the best in the world at what they did, but there’s a very real chance they might not end up in the Hall of Fame.
What do you think? Should players who used steroids or were rumored to have used steroids be considered for the Hall of Fame? Let us know by voting in the poll below…
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